SUCCESS STORY UPSC 2022 TOPPER AIR 6: GAHANA NAVYA JAMES

Gahana Navya has secured 6th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022. She is a native of Kerala. Her inspiration was his uncle Sibi George, an IFS Officer. It was her second attempt. She said the first attempt was a big lesson for her as she learnt how to effectively prepare for the upsc exam. 

At last she cracked UPSC CSE-2022 with AIR 6, without any coaching or giving mock interviews.

Educational background

She completed her schooling from Chavara Public School, Kottyam and after that she did her 12th standard from St. Mary’s School. She studied humanities and opted for history in graduation and political science in post graduation. She has been researching international relations at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam. She chooses Political Science as her optional subject.

Gahana Navya's UPSC preparation strategy

Rely only on self study without taking any coaching

Navya said the role of discipline is very important in this exam. She was groomed to be self-trained and self-disciplined. She did not have faith in coaching. She believed that self-discipline is the key to success. So, she can prepare for this exam without taking help of any coaching. She read the upsc syllabus carefully and understands the pattern of the exam. After that she makes use of available resources such as books, websites, and YouTube videos. It is also important to discuss your doubts with friends or family who are willing to help. She's always used to discussing things with his brother.

Always give your preparation a clear direction

Navya used to study from a limited source of materials and she said that wherever possible stick to the tried and tested textbooks only. When you are studying, you must cross-check with the syllabus to ensure that they are covering everything in it. 

She also advised the aspirants to must have a ready reckoner. During the revision stages, it would be important to only go through the notes and not go back to the source materials.

Newspaper reading

Navya said, reading newspaper is a very important part in the UPSC preparation. It helps aspirants to be updated with current affairs, general knowledge and develop an understanding of various current issues. Reading newspapers also enhances an aspirant's analytical skills and improves their ability to write on various topics. It provides valuable information on national and international events, government policies, and socio-economic issues etc and these things help in upsc mains answer writing. It can also help in the interview.

At last Navya advised the aspirants to make their own strategy based on your personality. Don't blindly follow others. 

Conquer yourself and the whole universe is yours.

Source: Internet and various newspapers and journals.